Mother of the Year Award goes to....

The move to high school is of course a massive transition. Year Coordinators and Guidance Officers are dedicated to making the transition as seamless and painless as possible, whilst setting their young charges up on a path to success through their secondary years.

Young Son C began high school this year and was happy to find new and old school friends, soccer and scout friends amongst his peers.

One of the programs that the aforementioned Year Coordinators utilise for settling the new arrivals is school camp. Our school runs it early in the year, around week 4, to orient the year 8s and for some quality teambuilding.

Sunday night before camp, amid my demands of getting ready, Son C had an absolute meltdown over a pair of shorts. If you knew my son, you'd know he's no fashion king. After getting wound up over packing the damn shorts, I was getting nowhere and had to pull out one of my parenting big guns – the active listening. I sat with him for two hours and we discussed his fears, his insecurities, and how he was finding this big transition.

Finally, he was ready and packed.

So the next morning, I arose early, fed him, packed the car and dropped him off to school.

A week early for school camp.

Oh, the shame. He was mortified, cowering in the passenger seat lest anyone see him in his civilian clothes.

The following week he was well packed and prepared, and happily took himself off to school camp.

Oh lord, let the world swallow me  :-)